Reactivity to stress is insidious because it does not directly incapacitate a human, but acts as a vector of extreme discomfort in various locations of the body of the human, e.g., back, shoulder and/or neck muscle pain and spasms which are a direct result of excessive back, shoulder and/or neck muscle tension brought about by the reactivity to stress.
The term “stress” hereinafter refers to an event or experience in life of an individual that has specific physiologic and/or subjective consequences that disturb the equilibrium of the individual (see Kopin, I. J., Definitions of Stress and Sympathetic Neuronal Responses Stress: Basic Mechanisms and Clinical Implications, Annals of the NY Academy of Sciences, G. Chrousos, R. McCarty, K. Pacak et al editors, New York, N.Y., New York Academy of Sciences 771: 19-30.). Sources of stress may be an individual's occupation or it may be a life event such as a change of job. The term “reactivity” hereinafter refers to the change generated by stress in the individual's physiologic and/or subjective condition. Within the context of this invention, the term “reactivity” may be ascertained (a) objectively, by measuring, using electrical measuring techniques, the degree of muscular back, shoulder and/or neck tension and (b) subjectively by use of self-report of various symptoms including degree of muscular back and/or neck pain and degree of muscular back and/or neck ‘tension’ and ‘relaxation’. Unlike a drug that is ingested orally or injected subcutaneously, the fragrance compositions utilized in the practice of our invention are inhaled. Hence, for the purpose of practicing this invention, the term “amount administered” hereinafter is intended to mean “amount of stress reactivity-reducing composition calculated to have been inhaled, retained, absorbed and/or provided into the blood-stream”.
Methods for reducing physiological and/or subjective reactivity to stress in humans being subjected to stress conditions by administration of stress reactivity-reducing substances such as nutmeg oil, orange oil and valerian oil through inhalation are well known in the prior art, for example, Warren et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,959 issued on Jun. 9, 1987 and France et al. PCT Published Patent Application WO 00/37092 published on Jun. 29, 2000 (corresponding to Provisional Application for U.S. Letters Patent Ser. No. 60/113,347 filed Dec. 21, 1998). The Warren et al patent and the France et al. published patent application does not disclose or suggest the method of inhalation therapy to induce muscle relaxation, and furthermore, no disclosure of back, shoulder and/or neck muscle relaxation is set forth therein.
In addition, Librizzi et al. PCT Published Patent Application WO 01/24807 (corresponding to Provisional Application for U.S. Letters Patent Ser. No. 60/157,371 filed on Oct. 1, 1999) discloses a method of calming a mammal by administering to said mammal a personal care composition which comprises an effective amount of a sensory fragrance wherein the personal care composition is capable of reducing the cortisol level of the mammal by about 0.1% up to about 75% and/or increasing the sigA level of the mammal by from about 10% up to about 150%. Although Librizzi et al. indicates at page 3: “The term ‘administering’ refers to (i) inhalation of a topically applied personal care composition . . . ”, the Librizzi et al. published PCT Patent Application does not, however disclose or suggest the method of inhalation therapy to induce muscle relaxation, and furthermore, no disclosure or suggestion of any methods for the causation of back, shoulder and/or neck muscle relaxation or significant reduction of back, shoulder or neck muscle tension is set forth therein.
The use of “Kava” (Piper methysticum) and Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) to induce muscle relaxation is disclosed by Greadon, J. and Graedon, T. in “The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies”,© 1999 by Graedon Enterprises, Inc., at pages 335-337, and 375-377; Published by St. Martin's Press, New York, N.Y. The Graedon et al publication does not disclose or suggest the method of inhalation therapy to induce muscle relaxation, and furthermore, no disclosure or suggestion of back, shoulder and/or neck muscle relaxation is set forth therein.
The use of oil of wintergreen (methyl salicylate), rosemary, aspic, juniper, lavender, nutmeg, pepper, mandarin, neroli, petitgrain, fennel, pine and thyme are disclosed as being useful in reduction of muscular pain by Daniele Ryman in “Aromatherapy: The Complete Guide to Plant and Flower Essences for Health and Beauty”,© 1991 by Daniele Ryman at pages 242, 243, 244, 268, 269, 308, 335, 344 and 345; Published, 1991 by Piatkus Books. The Ryman publication does not disclose or suggest the method of inhalation therapy to induce muscle relaxation, and furthermore, no disclosure of back, shoulder and/or neck muscle relaxation is set forth therein.
The use of essential oils including Clary Sage and Jasmine in massage and baths is disclosed to have a relaxing effect on the muscles by Davis, P. in “Aromatherapy An A-Z”,© Patricia Davis 1988, at pages 230 and 231; Published 1988 by The C. W. Daniel Company Limited, Saffron Walden, Essex, England. The Davis publication does not disclose or suggest the method of inhalation therapy to induce muscle relaxation, and furthermore, no disclosure or suggestion of back, shoulder and/or neck muscle relaxation is set forth therein.
Reduction of muscle tension “mainly neck and shoulders” by means of application via massage of:
Chamaemelum nobile 
Juniperus communis 
Lavandula augustifolia 
Lavandula X intermedia ‘Super’
Origanum marjorana and
Eucalyptus smithii [GULLY GUM]
is disclosed by Price, S. and Price, L. in “Aromatherapy for Health Professionals”© Harcourt Publishers Limited 1999, Chapter 12, “Stress”, pages 207-215. The Price, et al. publication does not, however, explicitly or implicitly disclose the method of inhalation therapy to induce muscle relaxation.
Accordingly, a need exists for a process for effecting the relaxation to (i) a substantially non stress-reactive state and (ii) a substantially non-tensive state of at least one stress-reactive and tensive back, shoulder or neck muscle of a human mammal for a substantial period of time, using one or more specifically-designed fragrance compositions to be conveniently administered by means of inhalation.